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Man, OPM has truly taken a new turn in the past few years, especially in 2018. It feels like a whole new breed of creators, singers, bands, and musicians, have emerged in recent times, not to resurrect a hopelessly moribund genre, but to establish a brand new premise, even identity. I believe this is galvanised by a strong need to express the current dialogue of the culture, its recent triumphs and frustrations, as well as new influences, new social and creative standards, and new aspirations.

And so, I listed down some of these brilliant Filipino artists that I want to make sure are in my Spotify playlist for the coming year, not only because their works are affective and sublime, but because these are artists who champion our musical treasury and live out the legacy of OPM with fresh sounds, unstoppably ingenious spirits, and new stories to tell.

Disclaimer: This is MY list. I am not imposing it to anyone at nor stating that they’re the only decent OPM artists of the time. I’m sure I will definitely miss one or two names. So, I encourage you to make your own.

Her luminous, fragile soul, and her mellifluous voice can both mend and destroy your vulnerable heart. Whatever story she tells through her original ballads and revivals are always believable and deeply felt. She can change your mental and physical atmospheres in a heartbeat.

A profound blend of pop and folk elements, their splendid use of words, and gripping melodies—Ben&Ben’s music will surely tear at your heartstrings. Big time. They will leave any listener on the verge of sentimentality, and oftentimes in full-blown nostalgia, but still with a subtle ring of hope. No wonder this exceptional band is also in the list of most streamed artists in 2018.

CLARA BENINSmooth, soothing, sensational. Her music has been tagged “coffee shop music” for its calming nature and subdued tonal design. I first head her song, Closure in the closing credits of the TEN17P film, First Love. From then on, I would go to this song as though running to a peaceful sanctuary. Her voice is sure to take the edge off life’s hurts and haste. And her lyrical poesy, simply moving.

IV OF SPADESAbsolute hitmakers. Mundo exploded on the Internet early this year, and is in fact the most streamed song on Spotify in the country for 2018. This song gave romance an eccentric spin; the band’s unique vocal stylings communicate its captivating poetic language in a way no one else has. Now that their main vocalist has left and moved on, I wonder how the group will sustain their musical design and distinctive identity.

REESE LANSANGANA lustrous gem of the Filipino indie scene. Her vocal style carries a strong resemblance to that of Regina Spektor, but obviously using a different idiom and artistic essence. I particularly enjoy her quirky, feel-good acoustic tunes that showcase her charming vocal flips and inflections. Her sweet sound and youthful vibe have surely made her one of the most significant and sought-after acts in the country’s indie gig circuit.

DECEMBER AVENUEPop rock music is most effective and appreciated when its main melody is altogether elating and instantly memorable. December Avenue offers exactly that with their songs, bringing forth lyrics that are heavily sentimental and straightforward. The stories they tell are real and relatable. This band makes hugot sound irresistibly cool and sufferable.

TOM’S STORYSometimes, words are not needed to convey a message—the music alone can speak for itself, and take the audience to a colourful realm they can explore imaginitively and playfully. Tom’s Story is skilful and eloquent enough to do this, particularly evoking personal feelings and emotions from their listeners through a wide range of conventional and unconventional expressive techniques. Their musical rhetoric is plainly exceptional.

KYLAI think everybody knows I can talk about Kyla for hours. In light of the recent release of her latest album, Queen of R&B, her music really sparkled this year with gorgeous melodies, enthralling riffs-and-runs, and of course, her compelling, crystalline voice. The new songs certainly sought to prove her music is still relevant, and her musicianship is still unparalleled.

My favourite hobby, though, is to listen to her earlier hits, and find gems in her unreleased, almost unheard-of tracks. And man, they’re golden. For example, (for some reason) I have never heard of Maghihintay Lamang and TahanNa until recently; and both songs are more than 10 years old already. Nevertheless, I look forward to hearing new stuff from the “Queen of R&B”, and digging some more from her classics vault.

Nobody weaves a narrative like Yeng Constantino. Her recent album Synesthesia is a beautifully woven tapestry of real and personal narratives that intimately knit together to create one chromatic storyline. And her music is the powerful force, the omniscient narrator that carries this masterpiece to the listeners. Her artistry continues to stretch out; and she always has something marvellous to offer.

KZ’s soul prowess has definitely set the entire Asia ablaze this year after her electrifying performances on “Singer 2018”. Her award-winning album, Soul Supremacy has featured her artistic proficiency and versatility with a chromatic range of soul-filled music including ballads, catchy pop melodies, rap and funky tunes. It is a highly creative and well-rounded record that brings KZ’s musical core to the fore—sophisticated, yet clearly expressed. She is also to be admired for the “micro-nuances” in her singing voice that colours her words quite poignantly. Her music is brimming with intelligence and passion.

No doubt, Pinoy music has not stopped to evolve, explore and embody the colourful and intricate facets of our life and culture. OPM is on the rise, and like what I’ve always said: It is here to stay. Make that playlist!

Filipino music is very much alive today. It is here to stay. It ain’t going anywhere. And just like any other type of music and/or culture, it evolves. It matures. It expands. It diversifies. It reflects the phases of growth and progression that the Filipino culture undergoes, as well as the vagaries and proclivities of Filipinos’ creative minds.

OPM (Original Pilipino Music) or now also coined “Pinoy Pop” has come a long, vigorous way. And our Filipino artists are better and braver than ever. They are the unwavering stalwarts of our creative heritage. They define OPM. They fuel OPM. They take it to different heights. And now, they continue to bring forth immensely significant contributions for this generation and the next generations of artists and music lovers.

So here’s a short list of Filipino artists that I believe deserve our listening ears, and whose musical works are undisputed and world-class. Make sure that you listen to them to know and understand why they’re top-notch.

1) KYLA

She is dubbed as the Philippines’ Queen of R&B. And she absolutely lives by this title. Kyla is an artist of high reputation whose voice, I believe, does not sound like any other! She has everything a vocalist would ever dream of: (1) a wide pitch range, (2) a sweet, breathy and velvety vocal tone (for her low to mid register), which can switch up to a lusty and dynamic timbre (for her high register); (3) perfect pitch—her runs are always on point and constantly carries a high degree of complexity; lastly, (4) improvisation skills—she can turn any song into her own either by embellishing or refashioning a simple melodic line into something quite interesting. Just listen to her tasteful rendition of a Filipino favourite, “On the Wings of Love” that basically put her back on the charts.

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2) YENG CONSTANTINO

Dubbed formerly as the Pop Rock Princess, and now Pop Rock Superstar, the multi-awarded Yeng Constantino has absolutely blown audiences away in different parts of the world in the last ten years with her stylistic prowess, undeniable talent and distinctive artistry. Yeng’s remarkable contribution to the OPM domain as a singer and songwriter has been incredibly significant and can never be discounted in history. She is a strong and living force in the industry. Her music has set a whole new standard for the Pop Rock genre, producing smashing hits like “Jeepney Love Story”, “Salamat“, “Lapit“, “Ikaw“, and the all time favourite, “Hawak Kamay“. Recently, a musical was successfully written and staged featuring a range of her most notable hits.

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3) JASON DY

Known primarily for being a winner of the Filipino edition of The Voice, Jason is another R&B whizz whose musicality combines a very contemporary mode of singing (from the enunciation to his musical trajectory), and an ardent, soulful delivery. His runs are always daring and gutsy. He is in significant ways a trendsetter because of his flexibility in singing a range of different styles such as ballads, funky tunes, and even dance hits, without sacrificing his vocal identity. That defines a modern artist in a way—flexibility, agility, innovation and responsiveness to change. See how he infused an R&B flare onto this original ballad piece.

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4) MORISSETTE AMON

This woman is a musical firecracker and an extraordinary performer. Morissette is one of the few Filipino singers (if not, the only one) who use the whistle register very effortlessly on a regular basis. In terms of abilities and artistic achievements, she has accomplished exceedingly much at a very young age. Her technique is strong and sturdy that allows her to become flexible in using all her singing registers. And her high notes—all smooth and easy. She’s known to also ‘break’ her voice on purpose, which is a technique popularised by Mariah Carey during her prime years. Listen to one of her original hits that embody the novelty and colour of her vocal style.

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5) KZ TANDINGAN

The “Soul Supreme”. KZ just keeps getting better. Everything about her is still evolving—her style, her sound, her looks, her intensity. She has only been around for a few years but her impact in the industry and with her audience is expanding incrementally with great force. She defines soul and passion. She has already contributed important and monumental songs for her generation like the award-winning “Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako“, “Scared to Death”, and her superb rendition of “Wag Ka Nang Umiyak” by Ebe Dancel. She knows how to reshape a song and give it a brand new fashion. Her warm and raspy vocal timbre sings more than just the story of the music—it penetrates your soul and messes with it every once in a while, so don’t get surprised when tears just start rolling down your eyes. She is that artist that you always want to watch and listen to live because of her enormous effect on you.

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6) JOHNOY DANAO

How do you even begin to describe Johnoy Danao? Maybe the folks who have watched him in his sold-out gigs could explain better. He has been called the modern troubadour for his unexplainable ability to tear your heart up alive with his beauteous poetry and splendid vocals. He is an extraordinary acoustic artist whose music embodies absolute sentimentalism. His music is the touch of warmth that does not take away the pain, but soothes it very sensitively. I can still remember my initial reaction when I first heard his “Ikaw At Ako“. I was just pierced to the bones, wide-eyed, thunderstruck. It’s like it did something in me that is hard to explain. And that’s how you know you’re listening to music that is beyond just the music, but also speaks to the intangible soul.

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7) UP DHARMA DOWN

Well now, I’ve not a lot of words to say about this group. They have proven quite enough, really, and earned their stripes over the years. They are an icon in the Filipino music realm and have carved their artistic niche very well even internationally. And their music is proven to be timeless and relevant. I believe their music is actually ahead of its time. That is why more and more people have learned to recognise and appreciate their multifaceted style, poetry and artistic language. The eclecticism and urbanity of their approach are just some of the things that make them unique. Who has listened “Tadhana” and not has his or her heart miss a beat?

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8) SARAH GERONIMO

“Sarah G” has already been hailed as an OPM royalty who has flexibly showcased outstanding versatility, and several aspects and attributes of her artistic identity in the past decade. Breaking free from being a traditional “biritera” (female belter), she has now emerged yet with a brand new element that redefines what it is to be a “pop star” in the Philippines today. Her style and sound have transformed drastically, and have diversified from mainly diva ballads into a more eclectic mix of R&B, soul, dance, alternative, even rap. She has ventured more on contemporary singing, highly enmeshed with dance, delivered with vehement attitude and intensity. All of these make her the hot-blooded, walking-talking, triple threat that she is today. She always has something new and interesting to offer so never miss a tune from her. Here is one of the hits that signify her transition era.

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9) MARK CARPIO

Mark Carpio seems to be a new name in the OPM scene, but it will be hard to bypass the kind of musicality he offers. This guy is a balladeer with a strong vocal resonance, an advantageous pitch range, and substantial flexibility to shift between different registers and dynamics. His love songs are quite evocative and could probably be classified as “#hugot” songs (songs that draw out deep-seated emotions) because of the height and depth of emotions they portray. Some of these powerful, moving songs have now been used as soundtracks for film and TV such as “Hiling” and “Kay Tagal“. We expect to hear a lot more from Mark in the coming years.

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10) JONA

You gotta admire this woman for her staunch pipes that can withstand any excruciating octave or any musical whirlwind. If you ever get lost around the C6-G6 area, you’ll find her there. Jonalyn Viray, now popular as Jona is one of the strongest and most dynamic Filipina vocalists in the whole of Asia who has enough flexibility to sing a wide array of styles–from pop ballads to billboard toppers. She is an ambitious vocalist, and knows how to accomplish all that she envisions, one by one. Her vocal range is sweeping; her higher register is cogent and compact. She is phenomenal. She is another example of a modern-day artist who knows how to innovate and redesign music, and proves to us that creativity always wins. In her recent solo concert, she has demonstrated that her set of pipes is indeed indefatigable and that she has earned and truly deserves her spot in the show business today because of her hard work, her excellence and consistency.

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11) EDWARD BENOSA

This good looking dude knows how to capture the real essence of ballads—passion, vulnerability, romanticism. And surely, he is beyond his riveting looks. His voice carries a heavy deal of poignance in his hits like “‘Di Man Lang Nagpaalam” and “Why Did You Stay”. He lays his fragile soul bare with his powerful voice and unfeigned delivery. No wonder at the early stage of his career, this promising neophyte has won Best New Male Recording Artist in the prestigious Star Awards for Music of the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC). Definitely looking forward to more of his soul-stirring performances and thrilling vocal exhibitions.

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12) MOIRA DELA TORRE

Moira is an artist to watch out for. She may be called a trendsetter for being one of the first few artists to introduce a singing style more prominent in Western contemporary scene today: a technique that includes singing with a twang, fluctuating dynamics, and consistent breathiness. Last time I checked, there isn’t a name or term for this vocal style yet. Some people call it the “indie” vocals because it is mostly used by indie artists—the likes of Regina Spektor, Norah Jones, and Nataly Dawn. More and more singers of all races attempt to sound like that these days, but they just sound ridiculous. (Seriously, just stop.) Thankfully, we have one that sounds pretty “legit” and actually intoxicatingly mellifluous, and that is Moira. She has merged this sweet-toned singing style and the Filipino musical flavour, producing a very wholesome outcome.

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13) DARYL ONG

Exceptional and edgy—these are the words I believe that best describe Daryl Ong. These are the qualities that made him fit in and belong to the new breed of Filipino singers. (Or should we call them revolutionists?) Daryl is an R&B powerhouse with a voice so slick and refined. He is not a typical R&B artist that casually copies modal runs from established icons. He demonstrates cleverness and precision in utilising melisma and playful melodic variations just in the right amount and blend, and only as needed in the new flavour of the song. This is what makes his song revivals powerful and compelling. He retools any music with command and authority. And he makes the Filipino audience fall in love and appreciate Filipino-bred R&B. Listen to his tasteful rendition of “Stay”, originally performed and written by my OPM hero, Carol Banawa.

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